Vince Flynn - Executive Power

Kennedy started by saying, "Early this morning we received some intel from the Brits. As you know per our informal agreement with the Saudis we do not spy on them in an active fashion. The Brits, however, have no such agreement and are kind enough to share with us whatever they dig up."

Kennedy never wasted the President's time so he assumed this was good.

"And what did they dig up?"

Kennedy opened a red file marked eyes only and was about to hand it to the President when she decided it would be easier if she showed it to him. Getting up she moved to the other couch and sat on the President's left. She pointed to a five-by-eight, black-and-white photograph and asked, "Do you know who this is?"

Hayes studied the photo of a plump man wearing a suit and walking into a hotel, surrounded by several people, including one very large Asian man. It was obvious from the quality of the shot that it was a surveillance photograph. There was something oddly familiar about the man in the suit, but the President couldn't place him. After a moment he shook his head, and said, "No."

In a way this surprised Kennedy, and then again it didn't. Prince Omar had a very strange relationship with his royal family. Kennedy had yet to figure out if his lack of official association was by choice or by the edict of his brother, the Crown Prince.

"His name is Prince Omar. He's a bit of an outcast from the royal family."

"Why?"

"He's led a very flashy life over the years. He's a big gambler, a womanizer and recreational drug user."

"He sounds like quite a few of the other family members."

"Yes, but he's the direct brother to the Crown Prince and fifteen years ago was in real contention with his brother to become king. He's very outspoken and unlike many of his cousins, uncles and nephews, he's actually made a fortune all on his own."

"That is unusual," admitted the President. The 5,000-plus Saudi royal family was notorious for their lavish spending habits, not for their ability to support themselves.

"How did he make his money?"

"Banking and real estate."

Hayes looked at another photo of the Prince and said, "So why is he an outcast?"

"He's very critical of his brother in regard to cooperating with the West in the war on terrorism."

Hayes nodded knowingly. He was no stranger to the hypocrisy of many of the Saudi royals. They were educated in the West, they vacationed in the West, they spent as much time as possible in the West, enjoying the fruits of free democratic societies and then returned home to bash the West and pander to the neo-conservative mullahs and imams.

"So why are you bringing him to my attention this morning?"

"In light of what happened in New York last night, I thought you should see this right away." Kennedy reached over and flipped through a few more photographs until she found the one she was looking for.

"Last week Prince Omar's yacht was anchored at Monte Carlo. MI6 had him under surveillance, and photographed this man being ferried to his yacht."

"Why did they have him under surveillance?" asked Jones.

"The Brits didn't offer, and I didn't ask, but if the opportunity presents itself, I'll find out."

"Who is this guy?" asked the President. He pointed to a photograph of a handsome man sitting on the back bench of a power launch.

"That, sir, is what we are trying to find out. The Brits were able to pick up some low quality audio of the Prince talking with this unknown individual and it is very interesting. The Prince was easier to understand because he was louder." Kennedy flipped the photo and revealed a typed transcript of the discussion between Omar and his visitor.

The President donned his reading glasses and followed along.

subject one: Your, highness, I am… implement your plan.

There are… things to be done… little room for error.

Prince Omar: How close…?

subject one: Close.

Prince Omar: When will it start?

subject one: Within… week,… Kennedy passed over several paragraphs as they were unimportant and found the next important passage.

subject one: There is… you could… for me…

Prince Omar:… would that have… money?

subject one: They are… they… driven into action by rage,… I give them.

Prince Omar: How much more do you need?

subject one: Response Unintelligible.

Prince Omar: Ten million. You have become far too greedy.

subject one: Response unintelligible. Prince Omar: Five million.

subject one: Prince Omar, what… one thing… you…

most pleasure in?

Prince Omar: To see Israel destroyed.

subject one: Exactly… ten million… pittance, and for it…

self-destruction… Zionist state.

President Hayes slowly took off his glasses and looked at Kennedy cautiously.

"Do we have the actual audio of this conversation?"

"Yes. Our people are working on it right now, but I doubt they'll be able to do much more with it than the Brits already have."

The President grabbed one of the photos and asked again, "Who is this man?"

"We don't know yet."

Turbes leaned forward.

"Sir, I've got the best people at the CTC looking into this. I'm hopeful we'll get an ID on him within a day or two."

"There's one more thing, Mr. President." Kennedy closed the file.

"The Brits say the Prince and this man met again in Cannes last Saturday.

Apparently they had some problems with their audio surveillance so the tape of their conversation has yielded very little, but they were able to confirm one thing."

"And what is that?"

"The Brits say the man was headed for America."

"Why?" asked Hayes in confusion.

"I thought he stated in the transcript that the target was Israel."

Kennedy shook her head.

"I don't know, sir. We're trying to sort this all out."

"Irene," the President said with a bit of a disappointed tone.

"I know I've told you countless times to keep me in the loop, but I think all you've done here this morning is confuse me."

"I would have much rather taken a day or even a week to flesh this out, but considering what happened in New York last night, I wanted to make you aware of it as soon as possible."

"But why?" Hayes shook his head.

"This transcript tells me the target of these two is Israel, not the United States."

"Then why did John Doe leave France for the United States?"

Rapp paced slowly behind the couch, not bothering to look at the President or his boss.

"If his goal is Israel then he should be headed in the other direction, or maybe MI6 is reading too far into this or we're taking the wrong meaning from it." Rapp looked down at the President.

"Arabs are famous for being shameless braggarts when it comes to Israel. They puff up their chests and throw around wild brutal ideas, but rarely do they ever follow through on them. What if all we heard on that tape was a business transaction that-" Rapp thought of something Kennedy had said in the meeting.

"What if Prince Omar was involved in an arms deal with Ali and he got burned?"

Hayes looked at Rapp with a skeptical frown and asked, "Do you really think that's what this is about, Mitch?"

"I'm not sure, sir. It's too early to tell…… I'm just trying to throw out some other possibilities, before we get swept up in this blame Israel storm."

The President didn't feel like hearing any dissension this morning.

Ben Freidman had abused the trust of his country's greatest supporter and until someone gave him hard evidence to the contrary, Freidman would continue to be the focus of the President's ire.

"Mitch, do you trust Ben Freidman?"

Rapp didn't waver for a second.

"Of course not."

Hayes nodded.

"And you think he's capable of something this reckless?"